Jury Duty Scam

Threatened for missing jury duty? It’s a scam.

Who Is It Targeting: Area citizens

What Is It: Extortion scam seeking money

What Are They After: This scam has made the rounds in the past, but like all horrible plagues, it’s back. In this one, citizens have reported receiving phone calls from people claiming to be with the sheriff’s department. They state that the victim failed to appear to serve jury duty and that a warrant has been issued for their arrest.

Fortunately, the scammers are kind enough to inform you that you can avoid arrest and have the warrant erased if you make an immediate payment over the phone.

How Can You Avoid It:

• You will never be called and required to make an immediate payment over a criminal matter.
• Any criminal proceedings against you will be handled on paper so you can have appropriate records.
• Additionally, you will never be required to pay a court fine with an iTunes Gift Card, wire transfer, or another untraceable payment method.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from Better Business Bureau – Arcadiana.